‘Return 51 cartons’: Congress, BJP spar over Jawaharlal Nehru’s letters

On the 137th birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, the Congress and BJP engaged in a heated debate over the ownership of his letters. The Congress general secretary for communications, Jairam Ramesh, highlighted the popularity of the Nehru Archive, a digital repository containing 100 volumes of Nehru's selected works, which has attracted over 1 million unique visitors and 4 million page views since its launch in January 2025.

In contrast, BJP national spokesperson CR Kesavan accused Sonia Gandhi of "abruptly" taking the letters in May 2008 and demanded the return of 51 cartons containing Nehru's letters, warning that their refusal would only increase suspicions of the Congress's first family's motives. The Indian Express had previously reported on December 15, 2025, that Sonia had assured the Prime Ministers’ Museum & Library (PMML) of her cooperation and that her staff would investigate the matter.

The Nehru Archive comprises approximately 77,000 pages, 34,000+ text documents, and 3000+ images, offering invaluable insights into 20th-century India through the lens of a figure who profoundly shaped the nation.